Blayter is a baby jacket knit in garter stitch, with pure Shetland wool. Its unusual construction conveys an impression of seamlessness, in homage to the way that shepherds take the fleece from a sheep all in one piece.

Blayter is knit vertically in 2 pieces from front to back over the shoulders. To finish, it is grafted together at the sides and centre back. Finally, a neckband is added, which provides some shaping and an opportunity to add buttonholes and buttons so that baby can be snug. The rows have been adjusted so that every stripe starts on the right side of the knitting, ensuring a clean transition between shades. All of the steps are detailed in the pattern, and a clear schematic shows how the jacket is constructed.

To knit Blayter you will need to know how to do a crochet-chain provisional cast on, mattress stitch, (for the underarm seams) and how to do kitchener stitch/graft in garter stitch.

Sizing information

When choosing which size of Blayter to knit, look at the chest measurements as well as the average ages given. 1” positive ease is included in all the maths for Blayter and the garter stitch fabric is naturally stretchy, so knit the size that is closest to baby’s actual chest measurement for a comfortable fit.